Episode 5007 (30 January 2015)

Synopsis

Dean’s led to a police car in handcuffs and refuses to let Shirley follow to the police station. Whitney demands to know if Lee knew; he stays silent. As Mick ushers everyone back inside, DC Franklin explains they need to search Dean’s room. Stan and Shirley watch as Dean’s driven away. In the Vic, Nancy’s distressed that there’ll be gossip about Linda and Dean. Linda comforts her - Dean’s gone. At Patrick’s, police officers are taking Dean’s clothes. Kim wonders if ‘serious sexual assault’ means rape.

Shirley rants Linda’s just a desperate woman regretting a one night stand. Patrick remarks Shirley doesn’t seem surprised Dean’s been arrested. At the police station, Dean tells his story to the Duty Solicitor, Katie McCoy. In the Vic, paranoid Nancy’s conscious that punters are staring, including Peter and Kush. Whitney wishes Lee had told her about Linda and tries to offer comfort; Lee bats her off. Nancy overreacts when Tamwar’s concerned about Dean’s arrest and shouts at him to get out. After frosty glances from Denise and Kim, Linda despairs that everyone will think she’s lying if Shirley has her way. Whitney comforts Lee that Linda is a strong woman but now Lee needs to be strong too – she believes in him. Lee’s buoyed.

Meanwhile, Mick heads for Patrick’s with Linda; encountering Shirley smoking in the Square gardens, he orders her to keep her mouth shut about Linda. Shirley remarks she thought Mick would have more pride than to stay with a cheat. To Shirley’s surprise, Linda claims she understands why Shirley believes her son - but she’ll enjoy how much it hurts when Shirley inevitably realises the truth. Shirley’s left shaken. At the police station, Dean’s interviewed by Franklin and PC Jenkins; Dean says Linda was kind to him and they became close, and kissed a few months previously to 27th September but decided to keep it a secret. At the Vic, the karaoke continues and Linda wants Mick to sing. Nancy’s still worried and Linda gives her a talking to, insisting they need to get back to normal now Dean’s gone – she won’t let him win. At the police station, Dean gives his account of the 27th, explaining he split up with Lauren at Sharon’s wedding but was more upset that his mum had disappeared. Dean claims he and Linda just gave in to their feelings and had sex, and vehemently repeats Linda didn’t resist or say no, although Franklin points out she never offered a form of consent.

Upset now, Dean rants he didn’t force Linda and she didn’t ask him to stop – he’s not a rapist! Later in the Vic, the karaoke’s in full flow when Dean strolls back in, flanked by a smug Shirley. Horrified he’s been released, Linda holds Mick back as Dean sneers the police saw through her lies in a few hours and everyone else will too...

At the Masoods’, Shabnam haltingly tells Stacey about leaving her baby, Roya, on her uncle Inzamam’s doorstep in the hope she’d stay within the family, but the baby was adopted. Shabnam admits instead of going travelling she went to a B&B in Poplar, then afterwards to Lahore, and then on Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia; she started reading the Koran again, prayed for forgiveness and kept the newspaper clipping so she’d never forget. Stacey wonders why she kept it a secret. Shabnam explains she’d never be able to face Masood again, recalling his rage and disappointment with Syed years ago. Shabnam’s telling Stacey about sneaking out clubbing with Dawn and Carly when Tamwar comes home.

When it’s clear he’s not wanted, Tamwar heads out again, but not before revealing Dean’s been arrested for sexual assault. Shabnam’s shocked, and surprised at Stacey’s certainty that Dean’s guilty. Stacey brushes it off and continues to enquire about the baby’s father; Shabnam admits he was a one night stand in a club bathroom and is certain he doesn’t remember. Stacey wonders if Shabnam came back to Walford for her baby. Shabnam explains she only returned because Masood was in a state – she’d heard Roya’s father had moved away after his dad died and never dreamt he’d come back to Walford. Realisation dawning, Stacey’s face falls. Shabnam nods - it was Dean.

Credits